02 Jun 2009 | Ref. 115/2009
The arrival of the BAE Systems Brough manufactured new Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) at RAF Valley marks the start of the next generation of the UK MoD’s combat training, representing a major milestone in the RAF’s long involvement with the BAE Systems’ Hawk programme.
Speaking at RAF Valley, Mark Kane, Managing Director for BAE Systems’ Air Mission and Support Services said: “The arrival of the new Hawk AJTs at Valley is a significant milestone in the Hawk programme which already sees over 900 aircraft beingflown by 18 air forces around the world. The aircraft play a vital role in producing the UK’s frontline pilots of the future. It is also a major step forward in BAE Systems’ relationship with the UK MOD at Valley on the Hawk TMk1 programme, where our presence has grown over the last 12 years. From the establishment of the Hawk Synthetic Training Facility in 1997, through ground school training to the Hawk Integrated Operational Support programme, we have a strong record of partnering with our UK customer.
We are now committed to supporting the successful entry into service of the Hawk AJT later this year and to delivering an innovative and challenging support service. This will see us responsible not only for the number of aircraft made available on a daily basis for training flights, where with the current Hawk fleet we consistently exceed the 95% ‘dispatch reliability’ measure set by our customer, but, in an industry first, ensuring that the aircraft are able to carry out the training mission effectively, known as ‘duty carried out’”.
The first batch of eleven Hawk AJTs have flown into RAF Valley in recent weeks, and these have been put through their paces in a series of ‘shakedown’ flights, and are also helping to shape the AJT training syllabus, enabling RAF pilots to transition to handling current and future generation military jets. Under a £450m contract, a total of 28 aircraft have been ordered by the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD).
For the customer Laurence Bryant, UK Military Flying Training System (MFTS) Integrated Project Team Leader at the MoD said: “Today’s event marks an important achievement in the AJT project and wider MFTS programme, and demonstrates the ability of the MoD and BAE Systems to work well together.”
Known as the Hawk TMk2 in RAF Service, the Hawk AJT is manufactured at BAE Systems’ Brough site in Yorkshire before being flown to the Company’s Warton facility in Lancashire for painting and flight testing.
About BAE Systems
BAE Systems is the premier global defence, security and aerospace company delivering a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology solutions and customer support services. With approximately 105,000 employees worldwide, BAE Systems' sales exceeded US $34.4 billion (£18.5 billion) in 2008.
For more information, please contact
Malcolm Adams, BAE Systems
Tel: +44 (0)1772 852514 Mob: +44 (0)7971 114483
malcolm.adams@baesystems.com
Mike Dennehy, BAE Systems
Tel: +44 1252 384782 Mobile: +44 7793427132
michael.dennehy@baesystems.com
Issued by:
BAE Systems, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 6YU, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 1252 384719 Fax: +44 (0) 1252 383947
24hr media hotline: + 44 (0) 7801 717739
www.baesystems.com
